Port Colborne (
2006The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
population 18,599) is a city on
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the thirteenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, at the southern end of the
Welland CanalThe Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada, that runs 42 km from Port Colborne, Ontario on Lake Erie to Port Weller, Ontario on Lake Ontario. As part of the St...
, in the
Niagara RegionThe Regional Municipality of Niagara , also known as the Niagara Region, or, colloquially, "Regional Niagara", is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada....
of
SouthernSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
near
Niagara FallsNiagara Falls is a Canadian city of 83,184 residents on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. Across the river is Niagara Falls, New York...
. The original settlement, known as Gravelly Bay, dates from 1832 and was re-named after
Sir John ColborneField Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, , British field marshal, was born at Lyndhurst, Hampshire and educated at Christ's Hospital, London from 1785 to 1789 and at Winchester College from 1789 to 1794.-Early service:He entered the 20th in 1794 as an ensign, winning...
, a British war hero and the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada at the time of the opening of the southern terminus of the
First Welland CanalThe Welland Canal has gone through many incarnations in its history. Today, five distinct canal-construction efforts are recognized. The retronym First Welland Canal is applied to the original canal, constructed from 1824 to 1829 and 1831 to 1833....
in 1833.
History
In pre-
colonialNew France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River, by Jacques Cartier in 1534, to the cession of New France to Spain and Britain in 1763...
times, the
Neutral IndiansThe Chonnonton or Neutrals, also known as the Attawandaron, were an Iroquoian nation of North American native people who lived near the shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.-Territory:...
lived in the area, due in part to the ready availability of
flintFlint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in color, and...
and
chertChert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
from outcroppings on the
Onondaga EscarpmentThe Onondaga Formation is a group of hard limestones and dolostones of Devonian age that form an important geographic feature in some areas in which it outcrops, in others; especially its Southern Ontario portion, the formation can be less prominent as a local surface feature.In upstate New York...
. This advantage was diminished by the introduction of firearms by European traders, and they were gradually driven out by the
Five (later Six) NationsThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an indigenous people of North America. In the 16th century or earlier, the Iroquois came together in an association known as the Iroquois League, or the "League of Peace and Power"...
(Iroquois) who were allied with the
BritishCanada was under British Empire control from 1764 to 1867. Several major events took place during this time, including the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Rebellions of 1837.-New France under British Rule:...
against the Huron and their
FrenchNew France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River, by Jacques Cartier in 1534, to the cession of New France to Spain and Britain in 1763...
allies.
The city grew up around the southern terminus of the
Welland CanalThe Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada, that runs 42 km from Port Colborne, Ontario on Lake Erie to Port Weller, Ontario on Lake Ontario. As part of the St...
, which was extended to reach Lake Erie in 1833. Originally called Gravelly Bay, after the large, shallow, and bedrock-floored bay upon which it sits. Port Colborne was incorporated as a village in 1870, became a town in 1917, and was re-incorporated as a city in 1966, merging with neighbouring Humberstone soon after.
From supplying the original camps for the labourers who worked on the canal, maritime commerce has been an important part of Port Colborne's economy to the present day. Port Colborne was a heavily industrial city throughout most of the 20th century, hosting a
grain elevatorGrain elevators are buildings or complexes of buildings for storage and shipment of grain. They were invented in 1842-43 in Buffalo, New York, by a local merchant named Joseph Dart, Jr. and an engineer named Robert Dunbar...
, two modern
flour millsA gristmill or grist mill is a building in which grain is ground into flour, or the grinding mechanism itself. In many countries these are referred to as corn mills or flour mills.- Early history :...
, an INCO
nickelNickel is a chemical element, with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. It is one of the four ferromagnetic elements at about room temperature, other three being iron, cobalt and gadolinium...
refineryA refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
, a
cement plantIn the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance which sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term "opus caementicium" to describe masonry which resembled concrete and was made from crushed...
operated by Port Colborne Canada Cement, and a
blast furnaceA blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions take place...
operated by
Algoma SteelSee also Algoma Essar Steel Algoma is an integrated primary steel producer located on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Its products are sold in Canada and the United States as well as overseas. Algoma Steel was founded in 1902 by Francis Clergue, an American entrepreneur...
in addition to the ongoing ship repair and provisioning trade. In the past thirty years, some of these industries have closed, while those operations which remain now employ significantly fewer residents due to modernization and cutbacks.
Port Colborne has been successful in attracting new industry, significantly agro-business operations of Casco Inc. and Jungbunzlauer, which process corn into products such as sweeteners and citric acid. However, the economy has gradually shifted towards tourism and recreation, taking advantage of the scenic beauty of the lakeshore.
Economy
The International Nickel Company (now Vale Inco) has long been one of the city's main employers, since the opening of a refinery in 1918. Taking advantage of inexpensive
hydroelectricityHydroelectricity is electricity generated by hydropower, i.e., the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
from generating stations at nearby
Niagara FallsThe Niagara Falls are voluminous waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York...
, the refinery produced electro-refined nickel for the war effort, and grew to employ over 2,000 workers by the 1950s. Cutbacks in operations and increasing factory automation have reduced the workforce to its present day total of 190.
Environmental Concerns
Emissions from Inco's base metal refinery, closed in 1984, resulted in soils contaminated with concentrations of nickel, copper and cobalt above the Ontario Ministry of the Environment's "soil remediation criteria." However, two studies, one in 1997 and another in 1999 found "[no] adverse health effects which may have resulted from environmental exposures." After a series of public meetings between the City, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and Inco, it was decided to perform a Community-Based Risk Assessment, a process designed to determine whether the contamination poses a threat to the current, past, or future residents of Port Colborne, and what Inco must do to clean up the contaminated areas. As of 2008, this process is only now concluding, although a few properties deemed to be at high risk have already been remediated.
Some residents launched a
Class-Action LawsuitIn law, a class action or a representative action is a form of lawsuit where a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court. This form of collective lawsuit originated in the United States and is still predominantly a U.S. phenomenon, at least the U.S. variant of it...
against Inco in 2001 seeking $750 million in damages to health, property value, and quality-of-life. Although this suit failed to be certified in 2002, it was subsequently modified to limit the class, and focus solely on devaluation of property and was certified on appeal on November 18, 2005.
Often cited as the 'largest environmental lawsuit in this suit is now expected to go to trial in 2009.
Communities
Communities within the city include Bethel, Cedar Bay, Echo Beach, Gasline, Humberstone, Lidsville, Lorraine, Pine Crest Point, Pleasant Beach, Sherkston, Sherkston Beaches, Shisler Point and Silver Bay.
Culture
Port Colborne hosts the annual
Canal DaysThe Canal Days is an annual marine heritage festival in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. It is a not-for-profit event, traditionally held during the Canadian civic holiday weekend at the start of August and with over 100,000 visitors, it is one of the largest free festivals of its kind.Port...
festival in recognition of the important role played by the Welland Canal in the history of the city. Originating as a small fair held at the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, it has grown to feature live music, an antique car show, fireworks, tall ships, a kite festival, and food from around the globe. The festival also highlights the presence of Lock 8, which at 1,380 ft (420 m), is one of the world's longest canal locks. The lock is intended as a guard to keep the water level on the
Welland CanalThe Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada, that runs 42 km from Port Colborne, Ontario on Lake Erie to Port Weller, Ontario on Lake Ontario. As part of the St...
constant independent of weather on the lake. Hence the ships are only raised or lowered one to four feet depending on the current water level in Lake Erie. Much of the festival centres around West St., which runs along the side of the canal, and has an excellent view of the Clarence St. Bridge, one of very few remaining lift bridges on the canal.
The Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, located near the centre of town, is a resource for local history and archival research. In addition to a collection of historic buildings and artifacts, it opened up the "Marie Semley Research Wing" to foster research into local history, named to commemorate the long-standing efforts of a local resident who devoted hours to the museum.
The community features theatre venues with the professional Showboat Festival Theatre and the amateur Port Colborne Operatic Society. The company has been presenting annual productions since its inception in 1945.
Kinnear House is a local heritage property associated with the jurist
Helen Alice KinnearHelen Alice Kinnear was a Canadian lawyer. She was the first federally appointed woman judge in Canada.-Early life:She was born in Cayuga, Ontario, Canada...
, the first woman in Canada to be appointed judge by the federal government, or to appear as counsel before the
Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system...
.
A curiosity in town is the "incredible shrinking mill" which is an optical illusion produced when viewing the federal grain elevator. When travelling east on Lakeshore road, the mill appears to move farther away as one drives closer.
Education
There are two
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
s in Port Colborne,
Port Colborne High SchoolPort Colborne High School, or Port High is a high school located in Port Colborne, just north of the eastern edge of Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the District School Board of Niagara. The school competes with students from communities in Fort Erie, Wainfleet, Dunnville, and Port...
(commonly called Port High) and the
Lakeshore Catholic High SchoolLakeshore Catholic High School is a high school located in Port Colborne, just north of the eastern edge of Lake Erie, in Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Niagara Catholic District School Board, and competes with students from communities in Fort Erie, Wainfleet, Dunnville and Port...
(formerly a public high school called Lockview Park Secondary School). Lockview closed in 1987.
Demographics
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-
- N/A = Data Not available
Famous people
- Tony Dekker, singer/songwriter of folk band Great Lake Swimmers
Great Lake Swimmers is a Canadian band built around the melodic folk rock songs of singer-songwriter Tony Dekker. Originally from Wainfleet, Ontario, the band is currently based in Toronto....
- Ted 'Teeder' Kennedy, NHL hockey player
- Helen Alice Kinnear
Helen Alice Kinnear was a Canadian lawyer. She was the first federally appointed woman judge in Canada.-Early life:She was born in Cayuga, Ontario, Canada...
, the first woman to be appointed judge by the federal governmentThe government of Canada is established as a constitutional monarchy, with the powers and structure of the federal government established by the Constitution of Canada, which includes the written part, the decisions of courts, and unwritten conventions developed over time.-Usage:In Canadian...
- Joseph "Bronco" Horvath
Bronco Joseph Horvath is a retired former professional ice hockey player who played 434 games in the NHL between 1955 and 1968....
, NHL hockey player
- Melissa McIntyre
Melissa Adaleigh McIntyre is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Ashley Kerwin on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation.-Career:...
, actor (Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series, set in the Degrassi fictional universe created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1980. Degrassi: The Next Generation is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, following The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi...
)
- Don Simmons
Donald William "Dippy" Simmons is a retired National Hockey League goaltender.He was called up by the Boston Bruins fom the Springfield Indians of the AHL in order to replace an ailing Terry Sawchuck who had left the Bruins in mid season of 1957...
, NHL hockey player
- Lynton 'Red' Wilson, former CEO of BCE Inc., chancellor of McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It bears the name of William McMaster, a prominent Canadian Senator and banker whose substantial bequeathed funds helped form the beginning of the university. The institution being incorporated under the...
, and officer of the Order of CanadaThe Order of Canada is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the highest such order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada. Created in 1967, to coincide with the centennial of Canadian...
- DeFranco Family, 70s Pop Group
External links